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4 I 4 - T-- I i i. If Yon Don't Rood THE CHRONICLE Yon Don't Get The News. 8 / : I / I THE CHRONICLE I StriTes To Be s Clesn N««»> : Rsper. Complete, Newsf, « and Reliable. VOLUME XXXIII CLINTON, S. C., THURSDAY, OCTOBER 5, 1933 NUMBER 40 SCORES PERISH ' IN RAVINE FIRE Cigarette Carelessly Tossed Into Brush Starts Flames In Los Angeles Recreational Center. Thirty-Three Burn To Death. Many Injuredl Writes About Poultry , Los Angeles, Oct. 3.—Thirty-three men, workers on a county unemploy ment relief project, and possibly 20 more, died late today in a box-!ike canyon, turned into a flaming inferno apparently by a cigarette carelessly tossed into a tinder of brush by one of their number. Between 160 and 200 othe* men were injured, some of them prbbably fatally. Most ‘ of them were burned and a number suffered fractui'es of arms and legs and the backs of a few were broken as they fell in a frantic flight to safety. The charred bodies of 33, their iden tity erased by the flames, were taken to a temporary morgrue, and fire of ficials, advised that others were in the area, expressed fear possibly 20 additional men had been cremated. The tragedy, “hell broken loose” a.s one smoke-blackened survivor de scribed the scene of horror, occurred in the southern end of the low-lying Santa Monica mountains in a city area known as Griffith Park, Los Ap- geles' largest recreational center. Shortly before 4 p. m., someone no ticed fire had started in the chap- Cuban Battle Still Rages Many Shot Down As Troops Bombard Hotel. One American Killed By Stray Bullet. Fuller D. Baird, noted poultry nu tritional expert, beginning today, will contribute a special article to The [Chronicle each week under the title of “Success With Poultry.” All own ers of poultry will find this series very - - Havana, Oct. 2.-7Bullets still spat tered Havana’s streets at nightfall failed to bring anjend to battling after the bloodiest day in the city's his tory, and while official estimates of the dead were unavailable, few be lieved the total would be less than 75, including an American. Snipers and soldiers exchanged shots over the width and breadth of the city in a renewal of hostili ties after attempts at truce in the beleaguered and shell-tom Nation al Hotel had failed. The American, Robert G. Lots- peich, of London, Ohio, manager of Swift International, was shot^ fa tally in the chest as he stood in an apartment building near the hotel watching the battle. The building of the Ford Motor M. Luther Roper Dies In Laurens company adjoining the scene oT Tibs-pleair has ded^aiwd unirohstitn. Had Been In Business Since 1890 and Was One of County’s Widely Known Citizens. services Laurens, Oct. 2.—Funeral paral-covered sides of Mineral -Wells I were conducted at a local funeral home canyon and a group of men, employed j^his afternoon at 4:30 o clock for M. in the area on road projects, was sent Luther Roper, popularly known Lau down the steep canyon to extinguish it. As they threaded their way through the thick brush, dry as kindling wood from a near record heat wave of re cent days, one among the inexperi enced fire-fighters saw the danger of becoming trapped. A warning was shouted and the men started to rush back to safety, meeting, as they clambered upward, another group of men coming down. In the moment of confusion the flames overtook them and they stum bled to earth before the intense heat smoke, where they lay uncon scious as the blase licked at their bodies. The scene resembled a battlefield. The blackened earth was swept clear of all growth and upon the smoul dering ashes men lay sprawled on their faces dr backs, arms and legs flung wildly in the throes of death Those who succeeded in escaping i associated with' the Davis- rens citizen who died Sunday evening at the Laurens hospital after an illness of about two weeks. The rites were concluded at the graveside in the Lau rens cepietery. The servfces were in charge of his pastor, the Rev. William D. Spinx of the First Baptist church. Others taking part in the rites were: the Rev. E. D. Patton, pastor of the First Presbyterian church, and the Rev. G. H. Hodges, pastor of the First Methodist church. Music, which in cluded the singing of favorite hymns, was led by Mrs. L. S. McMillan. The'active pallbearers: C. A. Pow er, W. S. Blakely, W; P. Thomason, T. B. Sumerel, T. C. Owings, C. H. Babb, and E. 0. Anderson. Martin Luther Roper was a son of the late L. Hudgens Roper, and Caroline Mahaffey Roper and was reared on the farm in the Rabun Creek church section of this county. Coming to this city at his ipajority, he were nearest the top of the canyon i Roper company and this firm’s sue and made a slow and painful flight | oyer a period of more than through the heavy brush before the pursuing flames. The terrifying scene was described by W. R. Woods, a county worker, who escaped with several others. “They didn’t scream,” Woods said. ‘They were syiffocated before the fire caught up with them. forty years. He had been affiliated with the First Baptist church during these years and a member of'the choir and the men’s chorus of t.He church for a long time. Mr. Roper is survived .ly his wid ow, the former Miss Mamie Nelson, tilities was struck by a shell intend ed for the hotel. The best obtainable estimates of the dead included 36 to 40 soldiers, 10 of the officers of the hotel, and the re mainder students and passers-by were struck by stray bullets. There were hundreds of wounded and the city’s hospitals were swamped since a few hours after the battle at the hotel began at dawn. ■ The truce at the hotel, which lasted only while a white flag was displayed from the roof, seemed to precipitate the spread of the battle over an un determined area of the city. All uptown business places cldsed their doors as snipers fired on soldiers from roofs and housetops. The sound of machine guns was clearly heard. Heavy firing was reported in the su burbs. An unconfirmed and unofficial re port said the, ABC secret society had started a revolution. Of the casualties, there were 10 dead soldiers and 16 wounded at . the Camp Columbia military hospiUls and others scattered through Havana at hospitals and clinics. Two officials in the hotel were killed and an undetermined number w’ounded on the resumption of furUnto firing after the shortlived truce. !of Laurens; one daughter, Miss Gla- We were all coun y wor ers Roper, teacher in the Elloree gether and we • high .school; two sons, Frank B. to fight the fire. We dug and worked Chester, and Fred N. Ro- with our shovels to ma ea ire rea , Laurens. Three brothers also when suddenly the flame.s were upon ^ Houston Roper, Uu- us. rens; the Rev. L. M. Roper, D. I)., •I ran down hill with a few others j,. | j Roper, and barely jot around the fames., When I looked back I saw 40 or more 6chers" running up hill. “They kept dropping one by one as Fountain Inn. Dr. Roper arrived from New York Sunday about noon, having been ad vised of the critical condition of the smoke caught up with them. Thenij^.^ brother, h'riends and relative.s they would crawl a little way and lie Columbia, Andei •son, Green- still. And then the fire wou ca c Spartanburg, Augusta and other them.” I j u ipoint.s in and out of the state were MfeO ^liu escaped-aalatnd bftw funcrah fellow workers had rushed into the burning area and attempted to beat Will Not Intervene. Washington, Oct. 2.—American of ficials who have feared for weeks that Cuba’s troubles would flare into open battle met the crisis coolly today and i-efused to make armed interven tion even by the distressing word that an American had been slain by a stray bullet during fighting in Havana. Secretary Hull watched the Cu ban situation closely througout the day and gave particular attentiop to guarding against loss of life among the 3,000 Americans Wsiding in the capial city. ^ Definite assurance that no change in policy toward Cuba is in contem- ' plation was given by Secretary Hull as news of the battle in Havana and the killing of Robert Lotspeich, a rep resentative of Swift and Company, gave rise to conjecture as to whether armed men from the American war ships encircling the island wiuld be landed. Lymphatic on this point, the Secre tary took occasion to urge that Amer icans take all possible care to avoid endangering themselves unneces.sarily. Grand Jury Deplores Action Says It Is Waste of Money To Tak4 Clerk of Court’s Case To Supreme Court. Wister A. Hairy. I» Laid To Rest Laurens, Sept. 28.—In its final pre sentment for the term of general ^s- aiona court held thia week, the Lau rens county grand jury makes several important r^ommendations and one or two caustic deliverances in regard to cdunty official affairs. Wen Known Citizen and Member of City Cpuncfl Succumbs Af ter IDness of Few Hours. After recommending that an audit i plot Funeral services for Wister A. Hen ry, 52, were held last ’Thursday after noon at five a’eloek wt the gfraveside in the Presbyterian cemetery, conduct ed by Dr. D, J. Woods. Dr. Dudley Jones, and Rev. H.lO. Chambers. In terment followed in the family burial of county officials’ books be made as early as practical, and that all court witnesses be required to report promptly, the grand jury “deplored” the recent action of the legislative delegation in authorizing an appeal in the fee system case which had been decided adversely to the delegation’s act as applied to the office of clerk of court. The paragraph covering this point is as follows: “The grand jury has taken cognii- ance of the fact that the court of corn- tlonal the recent act of the legislature abolishing the fee system in the office of the clerk of court. It is deploi-ed that our delegation in the general as sembly has seen fit to authorize an appeal of this ca>se to the supreme court in view of the fact that the su preme court has already declared sev eral similar acts unconstitutional. The grand jury deems this ^ction furile and a u.sele.ss expenditure of money, and hereby requests our county attor ney and board of county commission ers to abandon the appeal.” Ck>ntinuing, the i^eport concludes with this “caution”: “The grand jury also has informa tion that the sheriff of the county has been told by the senator from the county to retain the fees collected by him on tax execution.s, and that pro vision would be made by an act at the next session of the general assembly to ratify this retainer. It appears to the grand jury that all officers of the county should be treated alike under the law in reference to ^eir lawful compensation.” J. Ed Philpot has served this year as foreman of the body. .J Howard To Play P. C. Here Friday OReninR Home Game Tomorrow Afternoon At 3 P. M., With Fast Birmingham Eleven Fur- ^ nishing^ the Opposition. Mr. Henry, who had been in his ac customed health, suffered a stroke of apoplexy shortly after six o’clock Wednesday afternoon while at work in his flower garden adjoining his home. His condition was found to be most critical, the sad end coming about mid night following the attack, and as a great shock to the family and friends. At the grave a large concourse of friends gathered to pay a last tribute and the large number of floral tokens attested the genuine and widespread tow m wh^ he waa. held hy who kntm him. Mr. Henry was a native of this place, a son of the late B. M. and Ad- die Henry, one of the community’s well-known and b^oved families. For a number of years he was employed as a railway mail clerk but was forced to give up this work on account of his health. Later on he was associated with his brother, H. D. Henry, in the mercantile business, and for the past few years had been connected with the StuU-Hadfield Silk corporation of this city as night watchman. la 1988 Mr. Henry was elected a member of city council as aldermsn from ward one. and since that time had discharged the duties of the office faithfully, always mahifeating m in terest in the city’s affairs. Mr. Henry was a quiet, modest gen tleman, a member of the First Pres byterian church, a man who lived an upright, Christian life, and who was admired by many for his character and sincere qualities. The deceased is survived by five 8i8-_ tern: Mrs, W. J. Henry, Mrs. T. Hsmp Holland. Mrs. J. Will Dillard, Miss Arva Henry, all of this city; Mrs. J. O. Garrett of Lanford Station, and two brothers, H. D. Henry of this city, and John C, Henry of Greenville. Lynn Announces New ‘Y’ Cabinet SMITH CALLS FOR INFUTKW South Carolina Senator Ditup- pointed That Administration Has Waited So Long. Believes Conjfress Will Pass Mandatoiy Currency Expansion When R Bledls JanuaryT ^ Washington, Oct. 2.—Senator Smith today predicted that when congress meets in January it will pass manda tory currency expan.sion legislatioa unless by that time President Roose velt ha.s exerci.sed the powers gives him in the Thomas inflation amend ment to the farm adjustment act. “By the time congress meets it will be a clear-cut iss ue as to whether oui hanking and currency .system will be left as it is or whether the law shaR be so modified as to make manda tory to {expand the currency ’ because of domestic conditions,” the senior S<rath Carolinq senator said tonight just before returning to his home at Lynchburg. Senator Smith came to Washington today to make one final appeal before Secretary of Agriculture Wallace to suspend the processing tax. He ap peared at the hearing called to con. sider the question of levying a com pensatory tax on silk, jute, rayon, paper and other competing cotton pro ducts to balance the processing tax now paid by cotton mills. Smith stated at the hearing that if the department would suspend the pro cessing tax he would sponsor a bill at the \next session of congress to reim burse the department for the money spei^ in the plow-up campaigm rnterviewed late this afternoon, the veteran solon was not at all optimis tic over economic conditions in the South as a result of the failure of the farmer to secure a parity price for cotton. The parity price, in view of the rise in things the cotton farmer has to buy, is now 15 cents, which is six cents above the market price. Smith' said the plan of the depart-" ment to advance 10 cents ^ pound on cotton would do little good to the dis tressed farmer because he has already been foi*ced to market most of hi» cotton. While not ojienly, criticizing the ad- ministnition, the senator is obviously disappointed over the failure of the administration to announce a curren cy expansion program in time to in crease cotton prices tiefore the pro- Robert D. I.ynn, president of the duct leaves the farmtM ’s hand. Presbyetrian college Y. M. C. A., hasj “Under the constitution the issuance announced the cabinet for the coming [of currency and the fixUng of its value , • # . [year. Several changes have been made|is the .sacred right of congre.ss,” he Presbyterian colleges opening foot-tenUtive appointments were j said. “Congress should meet its duty Johnson j^^t spring. iwith legislation dealing di.cct with ball game of the season on field will be played Friday afternoon at three o’clock with Howard univer sity, of Birmingham, Ala., furnishing the opposition. The whistle will sound promptly at three with a big crowd ejipected. The admi.ssion will be one dollar and tax. Coach Johnson has recovered from his illness of the past week and is again directing the activities of the team. Hard practice is being gone through each afternoon with the How ard plays run by the third stringers, j Tomorrow’s game should be a close, exciting gridiron exhibition. Howard university will bring an eleven here of which little is known except that Auburn had a tough time beating them last Saturday. The Birmingham elev.^n is a new opponent for the Blue ’The new cabinet is made up of the following: Program committee: Walker Combs, chairman, C. R. Johnson. Deputations: 1^. A. McCall, chair man, George Dunlap. the subject.” Senator Smith indicateil tjiat the in flationists aC the next session would ask passage of legislation retiring quite a large portion of the nation’* bonded indebtedness by issuing cur- ' down the flames with sacks, a few seconds their retreat to safety * Pays To Serve Term had been cut off by the roaring fire, The danger was increased by a strong wind which swept in,from the,„ ~ - ocean and added to the spread of the Convltted of Manslaughter In National Bank 5 Per Cent Today Religious activities: Powell Free- rency to take the jilact* of the borids. The game Friday will 1)^ffie fTVst" S. I. A. A. engagement of the Blue flames. ' I Most of the dead were burned be-; yond recognition and the bodies were taken to the county morgue. . Here .a crowd of friends and rela- Slaying of Gwinn and Given Seven Years. Father Freed. l.aurens, Sept. 29.—A circuit couj^ lives ga*Jre7“seeking'ru;b;nds'.'nd>^^y I-*** convicted Talmedje lives jjaiw— iUcin ihp Sorgcc of manslaughter in connection fathers. Many the persons in the crowd were near ys . • acquitted his father, B. E, Sorgee, who was charged with being an accessory. ^1*a'judge C. C. Featherstone sentenced IYITCLE younger Sorgee, who is 27, to W. Scott Farley, receiver of the First National Bank of-this city, an nounced Monday that a five per cent dividend,' aggregating between $10,- 000 and $1*1,000, will be paid today to the depositors of* the clo.sed institu tion. 'Hie-dividend will be paid from j funds acquired by the receiver in the ordinary course of liijuidation. ! The 5 per cent now being distrib- Ho.se and they are determined to put up a stiff fight in an effort to take the initial S. I. A.^A. game into camp. Aveleigh Church Is Host To Conference man, chairman, C. F. McCutchen Publicity; J. H. Vi.ser, chairman, R. R. Potter. Hi-Y work: Charles <'arson, chair man, T. T. Fowler. Social; H. S. Odom, chairman, T. H. Wingate, Ernest A mold. Music: H. J. Montgomery, man, Henry CalverL Increase Made .4^-: We must find a means by which the tremendous interest on bonds can be eliminated,” he. ileclaituL . 'Ihe proposal to retiie bonds with currency is gaining in siipiiort. ()ver six hundred million in bonds will soon be due and it well known that the chair-1 President has been considering the proposal to retire at least half of the obligation.s with new money and ^here- by lower the nation’s ilebt and .>ave interest to the taxjiayer. If he fai!.-> lo act.the proposal will come before con- gressr — Senator Smith said be came to The enrollment of the Clinton Washington today for two |)uipo.,e.s. schools at the close of the first month j one was to ap|>ear at the iM'oces.sing ending Sept. 29lh, reached a total of'tax hearing and the other to “lielp 1,541, divided 1,207 white, coloreil.'.some of my friends in the deparl- In the high school there are 277 pu-inients.” He will return l«i Washington pils; Florida street .school, 432; Acad-1 next week. emy Street, 339; 1‘rovidence, 1.59. J — In th. col..r«l s.h,.„l. livil Strv..t.gQ DeatlW has 311 enrolled, Ik'thel .school 2;i. Newberry, Oct. 1.—Aveleigh Pres-: byterian church of Newberry was host! to the group conference No. 4 of the South Carolina presbyterial which con- uted to depositors is the fourth to bejygug^ ^ere Friday. The program was paid by the bank, bringing the total gg follows: devotional, the Rev. C. A, / TtlCBCtftV years in the state penitentiary. j The jury deliberated for four hours ; . , land 20 minutes. Sentence was passed The October meeting xif the Cham- young Sorgee after the diefense her of Commerce will be ”®*^Ubandoned a notice, of intention to ap- Tuesday evening at 7:30 at the Maryip^^j ^ Musgro>^ Tea Room. Following Gwinn, who waa 17, waa shot last usual dinner a business session June 12 imd his body put out of an be held with an invitation to all mem- automobile on a country road. ^ to 70 per cent. On July 22, 1031, the first dividend of 50 per cent was dis tributed, followed nine months later on April 22, 1032, w'ith an additional 10 per cent, on Jan. 2, 1033, by an other 5 per cent, and now with an ad Calcote, pastor; welcome, Mrs. W. O. Pitta; miasionary address, Rev. S. P. Orphanage Family Gets Holiday Blamed Oh Aiitos Following a long established cus tom, Monday was obsei*ved at the Thorn well orphanage as a holiday. Washington, Sept. 30. — Motor vt- hieJe accidents raused bU fewer deaths in South Carolina last .year than in 1031, a summary released today by the hui'eau of census shows. The number of deaths for 1032 is Fulton, of Japan; Bible hour, Missall departmont-C iven as 337 a;, compared with 307 for Irene Hudson, Ixiuisville, Ky.; meth-'al and school work. The celebration the previous year *^aml 301 for 1030. bers to be present. CLINTON BOY HONORED The Chronicle is in receipt of the following item from Clemson college: By virtue of his proficiency in mili- tary science and tactics and his ca-; he shot Gwinn in self defense after the parity for leadership, Cadet R. |L! latter had threatened him with a rock. State witnesses testified that both father and son were searching for Gwinn before the shooting and one that Talmadgre Sorgee killed the youth because he had kept “my sister out last night.’' ^ Young Sorgee denied this, but said dHional B per cent as of Oct. B, 1933, which is going forth today to the de positors. Williams To Conduct Revival At Laurenk Steer, of Clinton, senior student 'at iClemson eoUi^i has been commission ed a saeond lieutenant lor tlm current ■anion. Cadet Steer is a etndsnt in the The ’elder Sorgee said he and his son looked for Gwiimr blit abandoned it. He knew nothing of the slaying, he said, ontU Talmaidge cane hom$ and Laurens, Oct 1.—Announcement is made by the Rev. £. D. Patton, pastor, that the Rev. John R. Williams, one of . the evangelists of the Southern Presbyterian church, will hold a sarias of servioes with the First P{e|byterian church here, beginning Sunday, Oe. tober 22. Mr. Wiliiamt was f^merly pastor of tlM PrsebyterUn ehureli of ods, Mrs. P. M. Mann, synodical presi dent, Abbeville; devotionals, Mrs. A. M. Copeland, Clinton. County Ginnings Show Decrease was “Founder’s Day” of the institii- The death rate declined to 10.3 in lion which opened its doors for the 19J2 from 22.K in 1931.' Ln 1030 it wa* admission of children on di'tober 1,;22.5. 187.), with the late Jacobs a a founder. William Pluiuer Cotton ginned in Laurens county through September 16 was consider ably less than for the same period last year, according to the report made a FRIDAY Furman vs Erskine at Greenville, few d^ys ago by the county’s new col-] Presbyterian vs Howard at Clinton. \ lector of cotton statistics, Mrs, Mattie flalle Sanders. tlirough Sept. 16th a total of 2,837 bales had baen ginned from the 1933 crop, against 8,388 Mvering the same peiisd for last yaar. This is a decrease THIS WEEK’S GRID MENU Automobile accidents, txclu.sive of collisions with railroad trains and street cars, cost 329 lives last year, 380 in 1931 and 370 in lOSO.'iCollisians of automobiles with trains caused six deaths last year, 14 in 1981 and 19 in 1930. Two deaths were caused by mo- 'toreycle accidentsin each of the years, 1930 and 1932, and three in 1931. SATURDAY Clemson vs N. C. State at Clemson. Wofford vs DavklBon at Spmrtan. burg. I Newberry vs Citadel at Newberry. JBooth Cmrelina vb ¥iBa Nava at Ca- DOCTORS TO MEET The ponual meeting of the Third Dia- triet Medical aaeociation will*bc btid today at the Conntry club near baiaL An intereating j^ragram has baen ^ rmngad by, the aoaunlttea in ebar^ ■i!